Until fairly recently, this was Silvester's hardware store, closed in 2022 after 112 years of being a family business. The retiring owner blamed the closure on new traffic systems (see yesterday) but I suspect the real reason was ex-customers driving to out-of-town DIY stores or ordering stuff online. Whatever, I'm still using the garden canes I bought here five years ago. The site is going to be eight one-bedroom flats - very badly needed in this part of Oxford.

Just before going away in May, I went onto my flat roof with the Air Source Heat Pump engineer and spotted a crack in the roof surface. I emailed the builders a photo on 10 May and they replied one working-day later offering to come and look at it the same week at a time that suited me. They told me it was superficial damage and that I was not to worry about rain. I said I'd be away until this week so today, two days after I got home, they came to look at it (extra). Both the guys here today remember creating the roof and how very cold it was... And, yes, they will repair it. I feel very lucky with my builders.


I love June: four of my five-a-day were tomato salad this evening and the other five were strawberries.